What happened when I trained in gel polish with The GelBottle Inc

As a nail enthusiast, heading to The Gel Bottle Inc Training Academy in Brighton to take the Gel Polish Beginners course filled me with nerves and a whole lot of excitement – and that’s exactly what I was fortunate enough to experience yesterday.

Embarking on the one-day course, I headed to Brighton for 9am and found the modern, funky Platf9rm offices that play host to The Gel Bottle Academy and walked into a room full of women brimming with that same mixture of emotion I found myself experiencing. Eager to get going, delegates arrived one by one and unpacked each of their The Gel Bottle kits that would become an extension of their hands for the next eight hours.

Everyone took to unpacking their individual kits right away embossed with The Gel Bottle Inc logo: inside saw a number of The Gel Bottle gel polishes, Cuticle Oil, Liner Brush, buffers and files, a branded towel and apron, Cuticle Nipper and Pusher, Soak-off Clips and Lint Free Wipes. The brand’s nail expert and educator, Helena Marimón, then greeted students and began talking through the course handbook to kick off the course. Topics including anatomy and physiology, contraindications, preparation and care of the natural nail were discussed, as well as the general introduction to The Gel Bottle products. After the theory of these topics were discussed, comprehensive videos of The Gel Bottle prep of the natural nail and gel polish application were shown. Videos were recorded and shown in real time, which was really handy for students as they could gauge the accurate timings of the prep and application, which put many at ease. After a discussion of questions from students and thorough answers given by Helena, delegates partnered up to begin practicing.

Overseen and closely mentored by Helena’s expert eye, students were asked to prep the nails on one hand of their partner including cleansing, cuticle work, filing and buffing before applying The Gel Bottle in Diva on three nails and creating a French tip manicure on two nails, using The Gel Bottle in Daisy and J18. The Gel Bottle 2in1 Base Coat and Extreme Shine Top Coat was used, as well as the Liner Brush for the French tip. The atmosphere was relaxed and it was evident that everyone felt comfortable and confident, including myself, due to Helena’s candid and friendly yet authoritative approach to education. A break for lunch was taken before students swapped the roles of model and tech, seeing another application using the same method. When manicuring my partner, I could continuously ask for Helena’s opinion and advice without hesitation and she couldn’t be happier to share her expert knowledge to help me achieve the best possible outcome.

Once everyone had successfully created the nail looks, Helena brought our attention to gel polish removal. Again, we were shown a video in real time to display the process of soaking off using The Gel Bottle Clips, Lint Free Wipes and Cuticle Pusher to prevent any damage to clients’ nails. We practiced the process on our partners and vice versa, again under the watchful eye of Helena who was there to encourage, guide and inform delegates through every step of the day.

Once everyone had removed their partner’s gel polish, it was time for the final segment of the day, which saw business, social media and photography training. It was evident that the course not only focused on teaching budding technicians how to do nails to a high standard, but also how to turn knowledge into money and a hobby into a business. Everything from business conception to marketing, using social media advantageously and imperative photography tips were shared with students eager to absorb all of the information they could. No stone was left unturned!

Students left the course feeling confident and knowledgeable enough to embark on their journey into the nail world, however The Gel Bottle Inc’s support doesn’t stop there. Since leaving the academy doors, I have been added to an exclusive, judgement-free advice group made up of The Gel Bottle community, including educators and throughout the course students were constantly reassured that they could contact Helena for any support or advice at any time. An ideal introduction to the industry, the Gel Polish Beginners course hosted by The Gel Bottle Academy arms attendees with the confidence and knowledge to pursue a career in nails, providing them with a solid a platform on which they can continue to build. The support, passion, encouragement and expert knowledge of Helena and The Gel Bottle team ensured myself and fellow students left the day feeling accomplished.

To browse and book The Gel Bottle Inc nail courses, visit www.thegelbottle-academy.com

To shop The Gel Bottle Inc products, head to www.thegelbottle.com